Automatic control for article releasing outlet closure dispensing apparatus



April 16, 1968 w. H. EBURNpJRH ETAL 3,373,165

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet l 20?} Y I/ N i I 1 I I l I I l I l 1 i I4'FL. I

:' I MAIN STORAGE y, AREA i i I F I l i i i 1 24 FW Q 3 i I I0 le I j i Li l INVENTORS r: BY W W 4am! I W W 6'. .nfi

ATTORNEY w. H. EBURN, JR. ETAL 3,378,165

April 16, 1968 AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed March 15, 1967 G IIIIIIIIIHIII' x n U April 16, 1 6 w. H. EBURN, JR. ETAL 3,378,165

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 WW BY new: e. aw

ATTORNEY April 16, 1968 W.H EBURN JR. ETAL 3,378,165

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS '7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Filed March 15, 1967 INVENTORS mm 27. W

ATTORNEY April 16, 1968 w H EBURN, JR. ETAL 3,378,155

AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed March 15, 1967 m ml INVENTORS ATTORNEY April 16, 1968 W. H. EBURN, JR. ETAL AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1967 55 (5) 1. g 1'v j] ,1

. FIG. m1

7 Sheets-Sheet 6 INVENTORS 191mm '1' W Mud: 9M

ATTORNEY April 16, 1968 w H. EBLRN, JR.. ETAL 3,378,165

AUTOMATIC CON TROL FOR ARTICLE RELEASING OUTLET CLOSURE DISPENSING APPARATUS Filed March 15, 1967 7 Sheets-Sheet 7 William BY W 51 mam,

VFW 190M M ATTORNEY INVENTORS fizhm,

United States Patent AUTOMATIC CONTROL FOR ARTICLE RE- LEASING ()UTLET CLOdURE DKSFPENSING APPARATUS William H. Eburn, Jr., Stamford, Joseph H. Miiler, Old Greenwich, and Charles T. Raymond, Westport, Conn, assignors to Automation & Product Development Corporation, Stamford, Conn, a corporation of Connecticut Filed Mar. 15, 1967, Ser. No. 623,307 18 Claims. (Cl. 221-12) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE An article dispenser in which a plurality of gates supports a like plurality of articles in a row. The gates are controlled to release, in sequence, a preselected number of articles. When the first row of articles is depleted, another row is automatically advanced to release position. The articles may be advanced by a frame, which, when empty is automatically returned to initial position for reloading.

This invention relates to dispensing apparatus, and more particularly to dispensing apparatus for automatically dispensing a predetermined number of articles in rapid succession.

In many dispensing applications it is desirable to have dispensing apparatus which dispenses as rapidly as possible a predetermined number of articles in each of successive, uninterrupted but discrete dispensing sequences. For example, in a warehousing system for automatically filling large numbers of individual orders for collections of assorted articles, a dispensing unit is often provided for each of the various articles of which an order may be comprised. These dispensing units are normally positioned at dispensing stations along an order assembly conveyor for discharging a predetermined number of the respective articles upon a designated order zone on the conveyor as the conveyor carries the orders being filled toward order loading stations near the end of the conveyor.

It is manifest that if the rates at which orders are to be filled is to be optimized, the long term average discharge rate of the individual dispensing units must be as high as possible.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide article dispensing apparatus including novel means performing a dispensing function during a dispensing sequence and further novel means for automatically feed ing replacement articles to said apparatus concurrently with the dispensing function whereby articles can be dispensed during successive, uninterrupted dispensing sequences.

It is another object of this invention to provide automatic article dispensing apparatus having a high article discharge rate attributable in part to a novel high speed article gating arrangement.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide automatic dispensing apparatus capable of achieving high article discharge rates with a low speed feed of replacement articles to the apparatus.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an automatic article dispensing unit including article gating means for controlling the discharge of articles therefrom comprising a plurality of parallel gates and means for tripping the gates and then automatically initiating during the same dispensing sequence a reset function for automatically resetting the tripped gates.

It is yet another object of this invention to provide an automatic dispensing unit including novel means for automatically returning emptied article positioning frames to a central storage area for reloading.

Other objects of this invention will in part be obvious and will in part appear hereinafter.

The invention accordingly comprises the apparatus possessing the construction, combination of elements and arrangement of parts which are exemplified in the following detailed disclosure, and the scope of the application of which is indicated in the claims.

For a fuller understanding of the nature and objects of the invention, reference should be had to the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a schematic illustration of an exemplary automatic order filling system in which the invention may be practiced to distinct advantage;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of article dispensing apparatus embodying the inventive concepts which may be used most advantageously to dispense bulk-packaged articles;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged perspective view of gating means comprising part of the dispensing apparatus of FIG. 2; certain elements of the apparatus not essential to the understanding of the structure and operation of the gating means having been eliminated for clarity of illustration; the gating means is shown in unbroken lines as it would appear before being tripped, and in broken lines as it would appear immediately after having been tripped;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of article dispensing apparatus illustrating an alternate embodiment of the invention most advantageously used to dispense individual articles; 7

FIG. 5 is an enlarged side elevation view of certain elements of the apparatus of FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevation view of the elements shown in FIG. 5;

FIGS. 7(a) through 7( are time sequence diagrams illustrating certain operational characteristics of the FIG. 5 embodiment of the invention; and

FIG. 8 is a view of other elements of the embodiment of the invention revealed in FIG. 4.

Many and diverse applications of the invention are contemplated. Dispensing apparatus constructed in accordance with the principles of the invention may be utilized expeditiously in any application where it is desired to dispense a predetermined number of articles, and especially in applications where it is desired to dispense articles in rapid succession during successive and uninterrupted but discrete dispensing sequences. Such dispensing apparatus is particularly useful for depositing a predetermined number of articles on a particular area on a rapidly moving conveyor, for example, in an automatic order iilling system as illustrated schematically in FIGURE 1.

Such an automatic order filling system may comprise a bank of article dispensing units 10 arranged along a continuously running order assembly conveyor 12. The dispensing units 10 would each dispense one of the articles of which an order may be comprised, the total number of dispensing units 10 equaling the number of different articles which may go into an order. The order assembly conveyor 12 normally would have a large number of orders being assembled on predetermined traveling order zones 14 on the conveyor 12. For example, a practicable system may have one hundred or more dispensing units 1 arranged along a two hundred and fifty foot order assembly conveyor 12 with twenty or more orders being assembled on discrete order zones 14 on the order assembly conveyor 12.

Each of the dispensing units 10 operates to discharge a predetermined number of stored articles on a given order zone 14 as that order zone 14 passes by the dispensing unit 10. Each of the dispensing units Ill may have associated therewith local control means including a memory unit preset on command from a dispenser central control 1.6. The memory unit, which may, for example, comprise two decimal counters in decade for a counting capacity of ninety-nine, is counted down from thep reset number in response to each discharge of an article from the dispensing unit 1%. When a number of articles have been discharged from the respective dispensing unit 19 equal to the number preset in the memory unit from the dispenser central control 16, the counter will effect a termination of the dispensing sequence. In the operation of such an order filling system, information describing each of the orders to be filled may be fed to the dispenser central control 16 on punched cards. A computer would preferably be utilized to store the information describing each order and to feed the information to the local control means of the dispensing units ill) in the form of signals effective to set the memory units regulating the respective dispensing units 1%. As the order zones 14 pass adjacent each of the respective dispensing units 10, that dispenser lid is automatically turned on and the preset number of articles is dispensed from that dispensing unit it onto the traveling order zone 14. In traveling the full length of the bank of dispensing units It), the predetermined numbers of each of the articles going into a specific order would be collected on one order zone 14 on the order assembly conveyor 12. Sweep gates 26 near the end of the assembly conveyor 12 would be utilized to segregate the individual orders on order loading stations 22 for packing and loading. Articles replacing those dispensed may be fed to the dispensing units 16 by means of feed conveyors running from a main storage space to the individual dispensing units it It is evident from the above description of the exemplary automatic order filling system that the rate at which orders may be fill-ed by the system is a function of the speed of the order assembly conveyor 12, which in turn is limited by the discharge or dispensing rate of the individual dispensing units it). This invention contemplates the provision of dispensing units 10 capable of providing high article discharge rates during successive, uninterrupted dispensing intervals.

Two structural implementations of the invention are illustrated and described herein. A first embodiment, illustrated in FIGS. 2-3, has wide application in the illustrated form, but is particularly suited for dispensing bulkpackaged articles such as boxes and so forth. A second embodiment, shown in FIGS. 48, also has many applications but is perhaps most advantageously utilized to dispense individual articles of various sizes and configurations, such as bottles, cans, very small individual items, and other compactly packaged items.

Referring now to FIGS. 2 and 3 in which dispensing apparatus for dispensing bulk-packaged goods is illustrated, the bulk dispensing unit 10' comprises a base 26 including a stationary dead plate 28 and side Walls 3d having portions adjacent the dead plate 28 serving to guide bulk-packaged articles such as the boxed articles 32. The base 26 supports a roller 34 supporting one end of an intermittently driven feed conveyor belt 36 for transporting articles from a central storage area to the dispensing unit 10. The feed conveyor belt 36 feeds transverse rows of articles 32 to gating means including a plurality of parallel gate members 38 arranged side by side above a chute 46.

Stop means are provided for indexing the articles 32 driven on belt 36 toward the gate members 38 in a proper position for dispensment by the gating means. The stop means may include a stop bar 42 adjustably mounted on a reciprocable carriage id comprising arms 43, t) having pins 52, 54, respectively, slideably received in slots 56, 58 in end plates 6t), 62 supported on the base 2 3. As will be more fully described herein after, the carriage 46 is controlled in its reeiprocatory locus of travel by means of toggle links, one of which is shown at 64 pinned at one end to arm 50 and at the other end to end plate 62.

In order to securely clamp and resiliently urge the articles 32 into engagement with respective gate members 38, clamping means 66 are provided. The clamping means 66 are illustrated as including a vertically adjustable mounting assembly 68 for mounting an elastic porous mass 70 composed, for example, from a material such as polyurethane. The mounting assembly 68 and mass 70 are vertically reciprocable, being supported at each end by one arm 72 of respective four-bar linkage comprising arm 72, a triangularly shaped link 74, a horizontal link 76 and a respective one of the end plates 60, 62. As will become evident during a description of the overall operation of the dispensing unit 10, the clamping means 66 is effective to clamp a transverse row of articles 32 in a dispensing position such that the discharge of each of the articles is within the control of a respective gate member 38 after the row of articles has been stopped in the proper dispensing position by the stop bar 42.

The novel gating means by which articles can be discharged in rapid succession during a dispensing sequence is best understood by referring to FIGS. 2 and 3. The gating means includes gate members 38 arranged tran versely across the front of the dispensing unit 13', one gate member 38 for each of the articles comprising the leading row of the transverse rows of articles 32. Each of the gate members 38 includes an elongated portion 73 extending forwardly when gate member 38 is latched in a horizontal position for engagement with the lowermost surface of a supported article 32. Each of the gate members 38 is pivoted about a pivot bar 30 extending transversely across the unit 10'.

For purpose of latching the gate members 38 in a horizontal attitude, respective pivoted latch members 82 are provided. Each of the latch members 82 is biased clockwise (in FIG. 3) by a torsion spring (not shown) about a latch pivot bar 86. Each latch member 82 has an end portion 88 for abuttingly engaging gate member 38 to retain the gate member 38 in a horizontal attitude.

In order to etfect a rapid sequential tripping of successive gate members 38, tripping means are provided. The tripping means in the illustrated embodiment comprises a pair of trip pins, one of which is shown at 92, carried in l-degree spaced relationship on a chain 94 driven from motive means illustrated schematically at 96 through a driven sprocket 98 and about idler sprockets 139, 102. The motive means 96 is preferably an electric motor of the type having rapid starting and stopping capability. Each of the latch members 82 is provided with a depending tab 104 angled in the direction of motion of the trip pins 92 and in the locus of travel of the pins 92. Viewing FIG. 3, it is evident that as a trip pin 92 comes into engagement with the tab 184, the latch member 82 is angula'rly displaced in the counterclockwise direction, effecting disengagement of the latch member 82 from the gate member 33. Disengagement of the latch member 82 from the gate member 38 causes the member 38 and the article sup ported thereon to drop under the influence of gravity. A gate member 38, as it would appear immediately after being tripped, is shown in broken lines in FIG. 3. Thus, as the chain 94 is driven, one or the other of the pins 92 is effective to trip gate members 38 in succession as the pin 92 moves along the row of gate members 38. It is manifest that the article discharge rate is governed by the speed at which chain 94 is driven and thus that by driving the chain 94 at high speeds, high article discharge rates can be achieved with the dispensing unit 10'.

An automatically effective reset of the gate members 38 is accomplished by means of a reset bar 106 supported at each end by reset levers, one of which is shown at 108 pivotally mounted on the end plate 62 by means of a pin 7.19. As will become evident in the following description of the operation of the dispensing unit during a reset operation the reset bar 106 is moved through an arcuate locus of travel into engagement with each of the tripped gate members 38 returning the members 38 to a horizontal attitude into latching relationship with latch members 82.

The operation of the dispensing unit 10' is as follows: Assume, for example, that at the start of a dispensing sequence, a number of gate members 38 have been tripped during a preceding dispensing sequence and that five gate members 38 support articles to be dispensed. Assume also that the memory unit and counter have been preset by a signal from the dispenser central control to dispense six articles on a designated order zone 14 on the order assembly conveyor 12. As the designated order zone 14 approaches the dispensing unit 10', the motive means 96 is automatically turned on by a switching device (not shown). Being energized, the motive means 96 starts in- .stantly and drives the chain 94 carrying a first one of the trip pins 92 into engagement with tab- 104 of the first latch member 82, tripping the first gate member 38. As a-wiper 109 physically and electrically connected to gate member 38 makes a wiping engagement with a contact 110 on a contact arm 111, a circuit through the counter in the unit 10 is closed, causing the counter to count down one digit.

The motive means 96 continues to drive the first pin 92, tripping the remaining four gate members 33 and discharging the articles 32 supported thereby from the unit 10'. After tripping the last gate member 38, the first trip pin 92 closes a switch 114 to complete a circuit to motive means (not shown) for driving a control cam 118 on each side of the unit 10' in the counterclockwise direction (FIG. 2). As a camming lobe 120 on cam 118 engages a cam follower 122 on reset lever 108, the reset lever 108 is pivoted counterclockwise about pin 112, causing reset bar 106 to engage the gate members 38 to rotate the members 38 clockwise until latched in a horizontal supporting attitude by latch members 82. As the reset lever 108 rotates under the influence of the carnming lobe 120, a microswitch 124 is actuated disenabling the counting system while an extension 138 on link 76 closes a switch 140 energizing a motor causing the feed conveyor belt 36 to begin to move the next transverse row of articles 32 toward a position from which the articles are capable of being dispensed.

Simultaneous with the resetting of the gate members 38, a cam 126 on the reset lever 103 engages an adjustable cam follower 125 on link 74 comprising part of the fourbar linkage of clamping means 66. Link 74 is displaced angularly clockwise by cam 125, causing vertical arm 72 carrying the mounting assembly 68 to be lifted vertically upward to allow passage therebeneath of the articles b ing driven by the feed conveyor belt 36 toward a dispensing position upon the gate members 38. As the link 74 is rotated in the clockwise direction, a pin 128 on toggle link 64 controlling the stop bar carriage 46 is disengaged from an irregularly shaped slot 130 in the link '74, allowing a torsion spring (not shown) to move the toggle link 64 in the clockwise direction to bring the stop bar 42 into engagement with the leading row of articles 32 being transported onto the gate members 38.

It should be noted that at this point in time in the operation of the unit 10 in the hypothetical dispensing sequcnce, (1) the second trip pin 92 is approaching tripping engagement with the first gate member 38, (2) the elastic mass 70 is being raised out of engagement with any of the articles 32, (3) the feed conveyor belt 36 is driving the leading row of articles 32 toward a dispensing position m the gate members 38 and (4) the reset bar 166 is accomplishing a reset of the gate members 38. As the control earn 118 continues to rotate, the cam follower 122 on reset lever 108 escapes from the lobe 120, causing the rest lever 108, under the influence of a return spring 132, to rotate in a clockwise direction to lift the reset "oar 1&6

out of engagement with the gate members 38. At thi; time the pin 128 on the toggle link 64 bears upon an in ternal camming edge 134 on link 74, preventing the ver tical arm '72 and the mass 70 from dropping under the influence of gravity and return spring 136 upon the arti cles 32 coming into dispensing position. As the feed conveyor belt 36 drives the articles 32 forwardly, carrying the carriage 46 and toggle link 64 therewith, a point is reached as the articles 32 approach the proper dispensing position upon the gate members 343 at which pin 12% drops into the irregularly shaped slot 13%, allowing the vertical arm '72 and the elastic mass 70 to descend intc engagement with the now properly positioned articles 32. As the vertical arm 72 drops as described, an extension 138 of the horizontal link 76 of the four-bar linkage trips a microswitch 140, de-energizing the motive means driving the feed conveyor belt 36.

The slot is shaped with a tail extending forwardly in order that as the mass 70 descends, the carriage 46 and stop bar 42 may be displaced slightly in a forward direction by the action of the pin 128 following the configuration of the slot 130. With this arrangement, the articles 32 are free to drop into chute 40 Wiil'lOlli obstruction by the stop bar 42.

Returning to the hypothetical dispensing sequence, as the motive means 96 continues to d vs the chain 9 3, the second pin 92. is carried into tripping engagement with the tab 104 on the latch member 82 of the first gate member 38, thus causing the first gate member 33 to be tripped even before an article 32 has arrived at its dispensing position on that gate member 38.

When the article to be dispensed reaches its dispensing position, it is free to fall through the previously opened gate and onto the predetermined order zone 14 on the order assembly conveyor 12. Thus, with this arrangement, the total dispensing sequence for any given dispensing unit 1% is abbreviated by the expedient of having the programmed reset gate members 38 tripped in advance of the arrival of the corresponding article 32 at the dispensing position on the gate member 38.

After the first of the gate members 38 is tripped by the second pin 92, the counter circuit is completed for the sixth time. Having counted down from the hypothetical programmed number (six) to zero, the counter produces a signal effecting a de-energization of the motive means as, thus preventing the tripping of other gates. The last gate member 38 having been tripped, the dispensing sequence is terminated when the microswitch 140 is tripped and the conveyor stopped.

An alternative embodiment of the inventive concepts, illustrated in FIGS. 48, comprises a dispensing unit 10" particularly suited for dispensing individual articles such as jars, small items, and so forth. With the dispensing unit 10" a feed conveyor belt 159 may be utilized to transport individual articles 152 to gating means 154 in generally rectangular compartmented frames 156. The frames 156 containing the articles 152 to be dispensed are driven by the conveyor belt upon a dead plate 153 where driven sprockets 160 engage a rack 162 disposed on lower guide strips 164 located on the opposed sides of the frames 156 parallel to the direction of transport of the frames rss. The driven sprockets 160 and the feed conveyor belt 150 are driven simultaneously and continuously during a dispensing sequence to effect a continuous progression of the frames 156 through the gating means 154 and over a chute 171 on channel members 168, 176 and then to a frame return means 172 for automatically returning the empty frames 156 to the starting end of the feed conveyor belt.

The gating means 1'54 provide an extremely simple yet very effective means for dispensing in rapid succession a predetermined number of articles 15?; from the frames 156.

The gating means 154 may comprise a plurality of re- Ciprocable slide members 174a, 174i), 1740, 174d, and

1742, one slide member being provided for each longitudinal row of articles 152. The forward edge of the dead plate 158 overhangs the chute 171 and is formed so as to have a staggered, step-like forward edge having step portions 176a, 176b, 1760, 176a, and 176s of the same width as and in registry with, respectively, the slide members 174a, 1741:, 1740, 174d, and 174a Control means are provided for reciprocating the slide members 174 forward and back from beneath the dead plate 158 todischarge the articles 152 from frames 156. The control means includes cam means 173 comprising a stack of radial cam discs 1189a, 18%, 1300, 180d, and 1802, arranged on a shaft 182 which is driven by motive means 184. Each of the cam discs 180 has an irregularly shaped camming groove 185 formed therein which receives respective cam follower pins 186 on transmission arms 188, the arms 188 are each pivoted at one end about a common pivot shaft 201% and at the other end engage respective slots 292 in a sliding joint member 2 34 (see especially FIGS. 5 and 6). The configuration of the re spcctive camming groove 185 on each of the cam discs 181) is such that the loci of travel of slide members 174 are identical but with different phase relationships.

The phase relationships of the movement of the slide members 174 and the manner in which the articles 152 are discharged from the dispensing unit 10 may be best understood by reference to the time-differentiated sequence of schematic illustrations in FIGS. 7(a) to 7( Assume for the sake of clarity of description that at the initiation of a dispensing sequence, as for example by a signal from a dispenser central control 16 (see FIGURE 1) indicating the approach of a designated order zone 14 on an order assembly conveyor 12, that a frame 156 fully loaded with articles 152 has its leading edge coinciding with the step portion 176a on the dead plate 158, as shown in FIGURES 1 and 7(a). For ease of description the articles 152 in the leading row of articles in frame 156 are designated 152a, 152b, 1520, 152d, and 1522.

As the dispensing sequence is initiated, the motive means 1% driving the cam means 17 8 and the driven feed sprockets 160 and feed conveyor belt 150 are simultaneously energized. At this instant in time, portrayed in FIG. 7(a), each of the articles 152 (represented by broken circular lines) in the leading transverse row of articles is at least partially supported on the dead plate 158. As the feed sprockets 161i engage racks 162 on lower guide strips, 164 to drive the frame 156 forwardly, the slide members 174a, 174b, 1740, 174d, and 1'74e are driven forwardly by the respectively associated radial cam discs 180a, 180b, 1811c, 180d, and 180a at the same rate of travel, hereinafter called the feed speed, at which the frame 156 is being driven by the feed sprockets 161). After the frame 156 and the slide members 174 have been displaced forwardly by a distance d, article 152e is wholly supported upon slide member 1742. The slide member 174e is then rapidly retracted by the camming effect of the cam disc 1819c to effect a discharge of article 152@ from the dispensing unit 10" (see FIG. 7(b)).

As the frame 156 is driven continuously forward by the feed sprockets 166), the slide members 174 are driven forward at the feed speed by the cam discs 18!). When the article 152d is wholly supported by slide member 174d, the slide member 174d is rapidly retracted by the cam disc 186d, causing article 152d to be dropped into the chute 171 and discharged from the dispensing unit 111" (see FIG. 7(0)). In similar fashion, as can be seen from FIGS. 7(d), 7(e), and 7(7), slide members 1740, 1741), and 174a are rapidly retracted in succession by cam discs 18%, 1550b, and 1819a to effect a respective discharge from the dispensing unit 10" of articles 152e, 152b, and 152a.

Note that after retraction of each of the slide members 174, the cam disc 1% controlling that slide member 174 again drives the slide member forwardly at the feed speed. Thus, as shown in FIG. 7(f), when the last article 152:: in the leading row of articles in frame 156 has been dispensed, the next succeeding row of articles is in position on the slide means 174 in readiness to be dispensed. It is evident, then, that the cam means 178 not only effects an automatic successive actuation of the slide members 174 to discharge the respectively supported article, but also serves to automatically reset the slide members 174 for a successive dispensing sequence or for a subsequent discharge of an article by the same slide member 174 at a later time in the same sequence.

In order that a predetermined number of articles may be dispensed with the above described unit 10", a counter associated with a local control means, as described above in connection with the exemplary dispensing unit 10 shown in FIGS. 2-3, may be coupled to switching means for providing count-down signals for the counter, each signal indicating an actuation of one of the slide members 174. Although many Ways may be devised for providing such a count-down signal, a preferred arrangement employs a conventional magnetic reed switch 210 actuated by the interposition in the magnetic field of the switch 210 of a sectored disc 212 mounted for rotation with the cam discs 180 on shaft 182. Thus with the illustrated sectored disc 212 having five high permeance and five relatively low permeance sectors, the counter will be fed five count-down signals for each complete rotation of the shaft, each countdown signal corresponding in time with the actuation of one of the slide members 174.

So that the frames 156 which have been emptied through the gating means 154 may be returned automatically to the starting end of the feed conveyor belt 150 for reloading thereof, the frame return means 172 are provided. The return means 172 may comprise an arm 214 pivotally mounted about a pivot shaft 216. The arm 214 may have a spring-biased latch 218 pivotally mounted on the free end thereof for engaging an upper guide strip 22s on the far side of a frame 156 when the arm 214 is lowered thereover.

A pivotally mounted hydraulic piston 222 may be provided for oscillating the arm 214 through an angular displacement of approximately degrees upon command from a control organ (not shown). Initially, the arm 24 is in a rest position oriented approximately vertically and laterally offset from the path of the frames 156. Upon command the arm 214 is lowered until latch 218 engages guide strip 220. In accordance with a preestablished program the arm 214 is then angularly displaced in the clockwise direction (in FIG. 8), the frame 156 engaged by the arm 214 being tripped upon a side thereof, as shown in the broken line illustration in FIG. 8. A plurality of sets of rollers 224 mounted upon an inclined track, comprising a stationary track element 226 and a movable track element 228 afiixed to arm 214, allow the frame 156 to return to the central storage area under the influence of gravity.

It is evident then that by this invention novel dispensing apparatus has been provided including means for performing a dispensing function concurrently with an automatic feed of replacement articles to the apparatus during a dispensing sequence such that articles may be dispensed from the apparatus during successive, uninterrupted dispensing sequences, and that means have been depicted for carrying out the other enumerated and obvious objects and purposes of the invention.

Since certain changes may be made in the above apparatus without departing from the scope of the invention herein involved, it is intended that all matter contained in the above description (or shown in the accompanying drawings) shall be interpreted as illustrative and not in a limiting sense.

What is claimed is:

1. Article dispensing apparatus for automaticaly dispensing a predetermined number of articles, comprising:

a plurality of gates for controlling the discharge from said apparatus of articles to be dispensed, each gate 9 including means for controlling the discharge of a succession of discrete articles associated with that gate; and

control means for effecting a discharge from said apparatus of a number of articles equal to said predetermined number, said control means comprising cyclic tripping means for effecting an ordered sequential actuation of said gates, and reset means for automatically resetting gates actuated during said same dispensing sequence, whereby dispensing sequences may be effected successively and continuously.

2. Article dismnsing apparatus for automatically dispensing a predetermined number of articles, comprising:

a plurality of gates for controlling the discharge from said apparatus of articles to be dispensed, each gate controlling the discharge of an individual article associated with that gate; and

control means for automatically actuating a predetermined number of said gates in succession during a dispensing sequence to effect a discharge from said apparatus of a number of articles equal to said predetermined number.

3. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 including feed means for transporting transverse rows of articles from a storage location to said gates, and wherein said control means includes means controlling said feed means to effect movement of replacement articles to said gates during a dispensing sequence whereby articles are positioned to be dispensed during successive continuous dispensing sequences.

4. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 including movable stop means co-ordinated with said feed means including a spring-biased carriage for resiliently engaging and traveling with a row of articles being transported by said feed means to said gates, said stop means including means for engaging said carriage to stop said articles in a proper dispensing position within the control of said gates.

5. The apparatus as defined by claim 4 including means for displacing said carriage away from said articles after said stop means has positioned said articles for discharge thereof to prevent interference of said carriage with said articles during discharge thereof through said gates.

6. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 including reciprocable clamping means for resiliently engaging articles which have been transported by said feed means into position for discharge through said gates.

'7. The apparatus as defined in claim 3 wherein said feed means transports said articles continuously at a predetermined feed speed toward said gates during a dispensing sequence, said gates moving at said feed speed to maintain said gates in a closed position until actuation thereof by said control means, the conveyance by said feed means of replacement articles to said gates and the actuation of said gates to dispense articles from the apparatus being at all times concurrent during a dispensing sequence.

8. The apparatus as defined in claim 7 wherein each of said gates comprises reciprocably mounted slide means supporting one article positioned to be dispensed, and wherein said control means includes tripping means comprising cyclic cam means coupled to said slide means, said cam means having a camming profile configured so as to move said slide means during a dispensing sequence at said feed speed in the direction of transport of said articles and so as to effect a sudden retraction of said slide means at a predetermined time in said dispensing sequence to discharge said supported article from said slide means. i

9. The apparatus as defined in claim 8 including reset means for automatically resetting gates actuated during a dispensing sequence during said same sequence, whereby dispensing sequences may be effected successively and continuously.

10. The apparatus as defined in claim 9 wherein said cam means includes said reset means, said camming profile being configured such that after effecting retraction of a slide means, said slide means is progressively driven again in the direction of transport of said feed means and at said feed speed such that said slide means emerges from beneath stationary support means for said alticle to offer total support for an article in a succeeding transverse row of articles to be dispensed as said articles are driven by said feed means to a dispensing location.

11. The apparatus as defined in claim 10 wherein said camming profiles on said cam means respectively coupled to each of said slide means are interrelated such that said plurality of slide means are retracted serially.

12. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 including a reset means for automatically resetting gates actuated during a dispensing sequence during said same dispensing sequence, whereby dispensing sequences may be effected successively and continuously.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 12 wherein said control means includes cyclic tripping means for effecting an ordered sequential actuation of said gates.

14. The apparatus as defined in claim 2 wherein each gate comprises a gate member for supporting an article prior to discharge from said dispensing means, said apparatus including means for suddenly withdrawing said gate member from beneath the respectively supported article in response to said tripping means to effect a rapid and unobstructed discharge of said articie from said apparatus.

15. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said control means includes counting means for terminating a dispensing sequence after said gates have been actuated a number of times equal to a predetermined number to which said counting means has been programmed.

16. The apparatus as defined in claim 14 wherein said gate member is pivotally mounted at one end and engaged by latch means in a horizontal, closed position prior to actuation thereof, and wherein said tripping means includes cyclic means driven by motive means during each dispensing sequence, said cyclic means carrying trip means for disengaging said latch means from said member to actuate said gate at a predetermined time during said dispensing sequence.

17. For use with article dispensing apparatus, the combination comprising:

a rigid frame for receiving articles to be dispensed;

feed means for transporting said articles in said frame from a storage location through said dispensing apparatus to a frame return location;

guide means for returning said frame from said return location to said storage location; and

means at said return station for pivoting said frame about a side thereof such that said frame is supported on said side on said guide means, said guide means including means for effecting return of said frame to said storage location.

13. The apparatus as defined in claim 17 wherein said means for pivoting said frame includes an elongated member pivotable over said frame at said return location, said member having hook means on a free end thereof for engaging the opposed side of said frame, said guide means being inclined and having friction-reducing means thereon for returnin said frame to said storage location by the force of gravity.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,540,856 2/1951 Andrews et al 221-9 X 2,713,446 7/ 1955 Vaughan. 2,719,651 10/ 1955 Gabrielsen 194--10 X 2,782,577 2/1957 Beall 221-12 X 3,249,200 5/1966 Rowe 198-24 SAMUEL F. COLEMAN, Primary Examiner. 

